More than twenty years of music between France and Bulgaria

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For more than twenty years, SEALIAH has developed a distinctive sound that brings France and Bulgaria together. Led by Bulgarian vocalist Daniela Miteva and project founder Franck Helwina, a guitarist, composer, arranger and music producer, the group creates music that crosses cultures.

Traditional Balkan melodies and vocals meet flamenco and Gypsy guitars, Eastern influences, Mediterranean sounds and contemporary production. From the outset, SEALIAH has developed its sound independently, with a lasting commitment to building connections between cultures.

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2003 — The success of “Possednala Malkai Moma” in Bulgaria

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SEALIAH first came to public attention in 2003 with the release of its debut album, World Influencia.

The first single, “Possednala Malkai Moma”, made a strong impression in Bulgaria. It reached No. 23 on the BTV Top 100 and remained on the chart for 29 weeks. It also entered the Top 10 on MMTV, one of Bulgaria's leading music channels at the time.

The second single, “Tcherna Svatba”, built on this momentum with a music video filmed at Chico Bouchikhi's Le Patio in Arles. The track also entered the Bulgarian charts.

Success soon extended beyond the charts. World Influencia sold more than 70,000 copies in Bulgaria. 

SEALIAH's music received airplay on around sixty radio and television stations in Bulgaria and abroad, including Radio France Internationale. This exposure established the group as a lasting presence in the French-Bulgarian music scene.

Several music videos were filmed in Bulgaria with respected Bulgarian crews, notably with director and producer Vasil Stefanov. These videos helped shape SEALIAH's visual identity and introduce the group to Bulgarian audiences.

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2004 — SEALIAH on the big screen with “Mila ot Mars”

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In 2004, two SEALIAH tracks were selected for the soundtrack to the Bulgarian independent film Mila ot Mars, directed by Zornitsa Sophia:

• “Angel”

• “Tcherna Svatba”

Screened at numerous festivals, Mila ot Mars became one of the notable Bulgarian films of the period and received several international awards. It was also selected as Bulgaria's entry for the Oscars.

The inclusion of “Angel” and “Tcherna Svatba” reinforced SEALIAH's ties to Bulgaria, featuring its music in a film that became emblematic of Bulgarian independent cinema in the 2000s.

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2007 — The album “Camino”

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In 2007, SEALIAH continued its musical journey with Camino. The album broadened the group's sound, further developing its blend of Balkan roots, Gypsy music, flamenco, Eastern influences and contemporary arrangements.

Tracks such as “Ay tu eres”, featuring Manolo Gimenez (Chico&Les Gypsies); “Kato Teb”, an official adaptation of JJ Goldman's “Comme toi”; “Magic Sofia”; and “Petia”, an adaptation of the Gipsy Kings' “Camino”, illustrate this artistic development.

That same year, a SEALIAH performance was filmed and broadcast on MMTV in Bulgaria, reflecting the group's enduring relationship with the country's media and audiences.

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2008 — SEALIAH appears on Azis's television show

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In 2008, SEALIAH was invited to appear on Azis's television show on TV2 in Bulgaria.

The group performed songs including “Mujer” and “Maiko”. These television appearances brought SEALIAH's music back to Bulgarian audiences on one of the country's most popular entertainment shows.

The same period also saw the release of the video for “Magic Sofia”, presented as the third music video from Camino. Through this track, SEALIAH once again celebrated Sofia and the artistic and personal ties connecting the group to Bulgaria.

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2012 — “Loli” with Manuel Malou — Fiesta Gipsy in the arena

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In 2012, SEALIAH collaborated with Spanish musician, composer and music producer Manuel Malou on “Loli”.

Written and composed by Manuel Malou, the song had become widely known through the soundtrack to Gazon maudit. SEALIAH offered its own interpretation, shaped by its Mediterranean identity and Gypsy influences.

This collaboration reflects the group's desire to work with artists from different backgrounds while retaining its own musical character.

The same year also saw the release of “2 Sadbi”, meaning “two destinies”, reflecting SEALIAH's enduring connection to Bulgarian music and language.

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SEALIAH AT “FIESTA GYPSY” IN THE PALAVAS-LES-FLOTS ARENA

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In 2012, SEALIAH took part in “Fiesta Gypsy” at the Palavas-les-Flots arena.

The event brought together several groups and artists from the Gypsy and Mediterranean music scene. SEALIAH presented its distinctive sound, built around guitars, Balkan influences, flamenco and Mediterranean music.

SEALIAH's appearance on this bill marked an important milestone in its live career in France.

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2013 — A new symphonic orchestration of “Angel”

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In 2013, SEALIAH produced a new version of “Angel”, with a new orchestral arrangement featuring the Sofia symphony orchestra in Bulgaria.

This version gave the track a broader, more orchestral sound while retaining the Mediterranean and Balkan influences that define SEALIAH.

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2014 — “Hermano” with Stoyan Yankoulov

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In 2014, SEALIAH unveiled “Hermano”, an original track featuring internationally renowned Bulgarian percussionist Stoyan Yankoulov.

His powerful, instantly recognisable playing gives the track a distinctly Balkan energy. Stoyan Yankoulov's percussion, Franck Helwina's guitars and SEALIAH's vocals come together on one of the group's defining tracks of the period.

“Hermano” was produced by Franck Helwina for A/J Records Ltd as part of the project 3 – Tribute to Gipsy Kings. The music video was made with the Soundlife team and Guilhem Sendras.

This collaboration with Stoyan Yankoulov marked another important milestone in SEALIAH's relationship with the Bulgarian music scene.

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2014 — “Mi Mora Morena” with Manuel Malou, Jorge Pardo and Chaleco

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Also in 2014, SEALIAH appeared on Manuel Malou's “Mi Mora Morena”, alongside Jorge Pardo and Chaleco.

Composed by Manuel Malou, Luis Diaz and Franck Helwina, the song appears on the album Arranca y Vámonos. This collaboration brought together artists from flamenco, Gypsy and Mediterranean music for a vibrant collaborative recording.

This period also saw new tracks and artistic directions take shape around pieces such as “Solituda”.

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2015 — A new version of “Mujer”, a tribute to women

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In 2015, “Mujer” took on a new dimension through a project led by singer Daniela Miteva. For this version, she devised a music video featuring an all-female cast, conceived as a tribute to women's strength, sensitivity and diversity.

Daniela Miteva also wrote the video's script and operated the camera during filming.

This new version of “Mujer” became much more than a song: a symbolic, collective work created by women and dedicated to women.

2017 — An artistic reunion with Los Niños de Sara (Alabina)

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The ties between SEALIAH and Los Niños de Sara date back to the early 2000s. The artists have known each other for many years, sharing a love of guitars, flamenco, Gypsy rhythms and Mediterranean music.

In 2017, this artistic relationship brought them together on stage at a benefit event for AFSEP at the Pasino de La Grande-Motte. SEALIAH and Los Niños de Sara reunited for a performance that reflected their shared musical interests and close artistic rapport.

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2023 — A catalogue brought back into the spotlight

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In 2023, a substantial part of SEALIAH's repertoire gradually became available on digital platforms or returned to the spotlight.

Listeners could rediscover tracks from different periods of the group's history, including:

• “Possednala Malkai Moma”

• “Tcherna Sbatba”

• “Angel – A mi niño mío”

• “Petia – Camino”

• “Moma Kalina”

• “Maiko”

• “Canta Hijo”

• “Solituda”

• “Loli”

• “Ay tu eres”

“Ay tu eres” brings together SEALIAH and Manolo, of The Voice of the Gypsies. The lyrics are by Daniela Miteva and Manolo Gimenez, with music composed by Franck Helwina.

This return to digital platforms allows a new generation of listeners to discover the group's story and the diversity of a repertoire built over more than two decades.

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2027 — A new project looking towards Bulgaria

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SEALIAH is preparing a new music project for Bulgaria in 2027.

More than twenty years after the success of “Possednala Malkai Moma”, the group aims to reconnect with a country that holds a central place in its history. Details of the new project will be revealed soon.

This return to Bulgaria continues an artistic and personal journey that began in the early 2000s.

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An identity shaped independently over more than twenty years

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From its first Bulgarian chart successes to collaborations with Stoyan Yankoulov, Manuel Malou, Jorge Pardo, Chaleco, Manolo and Los Niños de Sara, SEALIAH has built an independent and distinctive career. Music videos filmed with Bulgarian crews, appearances on MMTV and Azis's show, and the inclusion of two songs in Mila ot Mars are all part of that story.

This history is more than a succession of releases. It tells of lasting connections between cultures, languages, musicians and artistic sensibilities.

Since 2003, SEALIAH has continued to champion music that is free, vibrant and without borders: music in which Bulgaria, France, Gypsy traditions, flamenco and the Mediterranean speak with one voice.